BATTLE EPISODES

Wairarapa Times-Age, 18 November 1942, Page 3

BATTLE EPISODES

ATTACKS ON MOROCCAN PORTS. SOME HECTIC HOURS. (By Telegraph—Press Association—Copyright) LONDON, November 16. Correspondents with an American task force say that Safi, an Atlantic coast seaport of Morocco in the French zone, and 80 miles north-west of Marrakesh, one of the chief cities of Morocco, was captured after a few hectic hours. ' x . Two old American destroyers stripped, with foretops removed and packed with infantry trained for street fighting and armed to the teeth, manaeuvred through a minefield into the harbour at full speed. One ran itself on to the beach and the troops swarmed over the side and bolted into the town while the destroyers guns pounded the coastal artillery. Four American assault boats proceeding to Fedala, 60 miles south-west iof Rabat, lost their bearings in the darkness and found themselves in Casablanca, near an unidentifiable destrover which opened fire with machineguns. The leader of the first boat warned off the other boats and ordered his men to stand with their hands up. The destroyer again fired, blasting the boat with three-inch shells and killing four men. The remainder jumped overboard and were picked- up by. the destroyer French sailors explained that they had no alternative but to obey orders and fire. They were forced to resist for fear of reprisals against Frenchmen in France. General Eisenhower pays a tribute to General Patton and Admiral Hewitt for the conduct of operations on the west coast of Morocco. He adds that the work of unblocking and improving the harbours is progressing satisfactorily It is obvious that General Patton has the situation in hand. General Nogues is co-operating effectively and enthusiastically. . The Vichy radio affirms that a Bn-

tish naval unit off Algeciras attacked and sank a French ship bringing evacuated French officers from North Africa. All aboard perished.